Gregory Huff is a black male who abused drugs since the age of 11. He started with stealing his mom’s cigarettes to smoking weed and drinking alcohol; then he moved on to using coke, crack cocaine and PCP (also commonly known as angel dust). During his addiction, Gregory sold drugs, robbed, and used and lived off of women. He eventually became homeless. He was a gifted basketball player in his young days but never was able to focus. He dropped out of school and landed himself in jail and prison on several occasions. Gregory eventually got his GED and went to college. Despite striving towards a positive change, Gregory’s addiction pulled him back to the streets and back into prison.On April 5, 1995 Gregory went to Phoenix House and never looked back. He is now a substance abuse counselor and a single father of one girl and three boys. He’s been clean for over 18 years and stopped by to share his story of survival with us.

DP: What age were you when you first started smoking marijuana? Gregory: 10

DP: Tell us about your first time getting highGregory: I smoked by myself. I stole a joint from my brother's jacket pocket and went behind a building and smoked it. I didn't really feel anything though.

DP: After smoking weed your first time, did you feel a sense of shame or guilt? Explain.Gregory: No just went and found some friends and played!

DP: Did you pay for the weed your first time? If so, how much did you pay?Gregory: I didn’t pay. I stole it.

DP: After getting high the first time, how long did you wait before trying it again?Gregory: Not sure a couple weeks maybe.

DP: What was your 2nd experience like?Gregory: Took another joint from my brother. That time, I felt it and was stuck on the steps behind the building for a while.

DP: How many years did you smoke weed?Gregory: about 10 years

DP: Did you ever see your weed smoking as something that was illegal?Gregory: yes

DP: Have you ever been arrested or detained for drug use and/or possession? If so, tell us about what happened. Gregory: Many times I went to prison for possession of a controlled substance and served 3 years. I was arrested other times and detained in buildings, parks, and in cars with drugs.

DP: How often did you get high?Gregory: Every day and at least 2 or more times per day. I used cocaine and PCP.

DP: Did any of your friends/family know about your habit? Explain.Gregory: Yes eventually my mother, father, sister and 3 brothers knew. I was the youngest, so my parents didn't like it. But I kept on using.

DP: Was there anyone that you kept from knowing about your habit while you were using? Did you keep it a secret from anyone? Why?Gregory: Just employers/teachers. Many females did it with me and friends.

DP: What’s the craziest thing you ever did to support your habit and addiction?Gregory. Steal and commit arm robbery

DP: Was peer pressure a factor in your drug use? Explain.Gregory: No

DP: At what point did you say, “Enough is enough?”Gregory: When I was about 32 years old and was still living on my mother’s couch in her home, I had just lost my girlfriend and was just out the hospital from a beating I realized I wanted more out of life.

DP: Did you ever relapse? Tell us about it. Gregory: No I went to treatment in 1996 and have been clean ever since.

DP: How long have you been clean?Gregory: 18 years

DP: Do you ever think about getting high? How do you get past the thought?Gregory: I understand it is not what I want. I stay away from people that use and I understand that nothing good comes from drug use. I think positive. I know that relapse can happen in bad times but it can also happen in good times, including times of celebration. I never put myself above relapse. I know if I do not stay on top of my sobriety, I can fall!! I stay out of bars. I stay away from groups of people drinking on New Year’s. I stay home and enjoy myself at home because too many drinkers are out.

DP: Any addiction is hard to overcome. Many people who are addicted to drugs never overcome the addiction. How exactly did you do it? Did you have any help?Gregory: I always wanted to be a basketball player and all the coaches would tell us to stay away from drugs but I didn't listen. As I got older, all the things that they said about drugs had happened to me, except death. I went to Phoenix House for 12 months and did what I was told and listened. I listened in groups and watched the people that didn't listen and saw how they left the program and came back worse. It's sad but when you see people on drugs doing bad it shows me why I quit.DP: How much money do you think you save on average per day, per week, per year since you gave up your habit?Gregory: On average about 50 dollars a day 350.00 a week and about 18,000.00 or more a year!DP: What are some of the changes you have noticed since you stopped using drugs?Gregory: I'm more alert and cleaner. No more brown spit and less trouble.

DP: Do you think it is possible to get addicted to smoking weed? Is the drug really that powerful?Gregory: If you can get addicted to eating food then yes I think you can get addicted to weed.

DP: Many people say that Marijuana is a gateway drug. Do you agree? Why/why not?Gregory: Yes it is and alcohol is even more of a gateway drug. Even cigarettes!

DP: Out of every 10 people, if you had to take a wild guess, how many would you say are weed smokers?Gregory: 2 people maybe 3. The number goes up if an age range is given, like 15 to 25 maybe 6 or 7

DP: What are 3 things you think people who smoke weed and used drugs need to know or hear?Gregory: They need to know how it affects their mind and thinking. Are they good students? What are their plans? Why do they think it is cool to smoke it and why they think they need it to have fun?

Chanel Jones is the author of Diary of a Vixen and Million Dollar Love Affair. She is a former marijuana user and stopped by to share her story with us on overcoming her addiction.DP: What age were you when you first started smoking marijuana?Chanel: I was 14 years old when I started

DP: Tell us about your first time getting highChanel: I was with one of my friends. I was 14 years old. She already smoked so she knew where to get it from. We went to a friend’s house who was in high school and they all were smoking. I wanted to give it a try and I did. I had no idea what I was doing but I did it anyways. I also saw my parents and uncles smoke so I thought it was OK

DP: After smoking weed your first time, did you feel a sense of shame or guilt? Explain.Chanel: I didn’t feel any shame or guilt. I felt high and silly and really hungry. DP: Did you pay for the weed your first time? If so, how much did you pay?Chanel: I didn’t pay for it my first time but after that day my friends and I were spending 5 to 10 dollars on weed almost every day. I was only in the 8th grade!

DP: After getting high the first time, how long did you wait before trying it again?Chanel: After my first time I didn’t even wait a day; it became an everyday thing

DP: What was your 2nd experience like?Chanel: My second experience was pretty much the same but there is nothing like your first high. At that age, weed just makes you hungry and sleepy.

DP: How many years did you smoke weed?Chanel: I smoked weed for 13 years. I stopped while I was pregnant. I had to. I would never do anything to hurt my child

DP: Did you ever see your weed smoking as something that was illegal?Chanel: I really didn’t see it as illegal even though it was

DP: Have you ever been arrested or detained for drug use and/or possession? If so, tell us about what happened. Chanel: I’ve never been arrested for any drugs and I’ve never been to jail for anything

DP: How often did you get high?Chanel: I would get high every day at least, 3 times a day and about 2 to 5 blunts per session

DP: Did any of your friends/family know about your habit? Explain.Chanel: Yes everybody knew about my habit because everyone around me smoked weed. My mom, my dad, my friends… pretty much everybody where I’m from. That was the thing to do to pass time. Every day, we all would come together with our money and get high. Even the ones who didn’t have money found a way to piece up on at least one bag of weed

DP: Was there anyone that you kept from knowing about your habit while you were using marijuana? Did you keep it a secret from anyone? Why?Chanel: My grandmother. She is a Christian, but she knew. You can tell when somebody is high off marijuana by the way they smell, the way they act, and their eyes are red. So there was no hiding it from her, even though I tried.

DP: What’s the craziest thing you ever did to support your habit and addiction?Chanel: To be honest, I’ve never did anything crazy to support my habit. I’ve always had a job or some kind of hustle. My father actually would give it to me so most of the time, that wasn’t a problem for me

DP: Was peer pressure a factor in your drug use? Explain.Chanel: I wouldn’t say peer pressure was a factor for me because I wanted to do it. But I will say in my younger days, as a teen, I’ve peer pressured a few other people to try it.

DP: At what point did you say, “Enough is enough?”Chanel: When I became depressed, I started to have stomach problems during my depression and the only thing that took the pain away was weed. But then it stopped working because I became too immune. When my doctors told me I was a chronic marijuana user and that it could be a cause of my depression and stomach pains, I started to re-think things. I felt like I had so much more to live for than smoking weed

DP: Did you ever relapse? Tell us about it. Chanel: During my depression, I relapsed every other day. Even though I said I was done, when the stomach pains came around, I found a reason to smoke. If I was sad I would smoke. If I cried, I’d smoke. If I was partying, I’d smoke. I would smoke for any reason…even for my depression

DP: When you did relapse, did you ever blame anyone? Chanel: I didn’t blame anyone but myself. When I hit a blunt, it was my decision and something I wanted to do

DP: How long have you been clean?Chanel: I’ve been clean for over a year now. I’m happy and proud and have no plans on really looking back

DP: Do you ever think about getting high? How do you get past the thought?Chanel: I really don’t think about it anymore. I don’t have a reason to. I can actually sit around people who smoke and don’t get the urge. It’s just not my thing anymore

DP: Any addiction is hard to overcome. Many people who are addicted to drugs never overcome the addiction. How exactly did you do it? Did you have any help?Chanel: Only help I needed was God. I prayed on it the whole time. I was in the hospital on my back not knowing what was wrong with me when all I had to do was get my health in order. It wasn’t easy the first couple of weeks. My appetite disappeared and I was irritable. I fought through those little things and I’m well now.

DP: How much money do you think you save on average per day, per week, per year since you gave up your habit?Chanel: I would spend at least 10 to 40 dollars a day on weed. So, I think I save about 50 dollars every day by not smoking.

DP: Instead of getting high on weed, what is your anti-drug?Chanel: My anti-drug is life, my daughter and family. I spend all my time writing on my books. I don’t need weed for ideas anymore; they come natural to me as they should.

DP: What are some of the changes you have noticed since you stopped smoking weed?Chanel: Better breathing. I’m more energetic and happy. I see life for what it really is now. Everything is clear to me. I now want to get out and do things other than sit around smoking weed thinking about what I could be doing. Now, I get up and do what I want to do. My health is under control and I feel like everything is going to be okay. I look at everything on the bright side.

DP: Do you think it is possible to get addicted to smoking weed? Is the drug really that powerful?Chanel: At first I didn’t think so. I just looked at it as a nasty habit like smoking cigarettes. But it did become addictive to me and powerful because it was my weapon. For anything that was going on in my life or when times got rough, I’d smoke weed to take the pain away

DP: Many people say that Marijuana is a gateway drug. Do you agree? Why/why not?Chanel: I don’t think it was a gateway drug for me because I’ve never did any other drugs…just weed.

DP: Out of every 10 people, if you had to take a wild guess, how many would you say are weed smokers?Chanel: I’d say all 10 were weed smokers now I’m on the outside looking in. So many teenagers are smoking weed and starting off like I did and so many adults are doing it as well. I don’t judge any adult for what they do because I’ve been there. But as an adult who’s been there done that, I wish I could tell them to stop. I wish I had somebody tell me not to do drugs. I think I would have done better in school and got more involved in the sports I liked to play. So when I see teenagers thinking it’s cool, I want to stop them

DP: What are 3 things you think people who smoke weed need to know or hear?Chanel: Weed doesn’t solve the problem. It may take it away for that quick few minutes but when that high is gone, you’re back where you started. And all you’re going to want to do is get high again.